Second of time range finder



Jan 6, 1931. W. O. KENNEDY SECOND OF TIME RANGE FINDER Original FiledApril 4, 1935 Patented Jan. 6, 1931 eam sir-Ares PATENT O F E *1 IWILLIAM Q. KENNEDY, on NEW Yonx. N. Y.

snooNn on TIME neNenFiNnEn original application filed April 4, .1926,Seria1 Np.f101,867. riviaea and this application filed July s,

. 1928. .Serial No. 290,234.

, 1 This invention relates to -ordnance and. rangefinders used 1n,

more particularly to i conjunction therewith. One object of theinvention is to provide to be sighted upon a target Witha minimum ofti'me'and labor and yet with a highdegree of accuracy.

Another object of the invention is the prom vision ofan improved rangefinder which is correlated with the known muzzle yelocity of aprojectile fired from a gun wherewith the range; finder} is used,thelatter being calibrated according to suitable time intervals. andhaving deflection markings permitting the operator not only torapidlyfdet'ermine the range of the target, but also by observing thedeflections produced by the image of a moving target to.allow for thevelocity. thereof, and accordingly to assure an accurate firing o-f thegun.

Other objects andadvantagesoftheinven tion will become apparent as thespecifica-.

tion proceeds. p

, WVith the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists inthenovel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described intheirpreferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims,andillustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are des ignatedthe same reference characters throughout: the several views.

I In the drawings: V N

Figure l"is' a fragmentary view showing the rangefinderand a portion ofa gun whereon it is mounted.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view in elevation of the range finder.

Fig.3 is a sectional view approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4; is a reduced sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 ofFig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6'a're diagrammatic views illustrating the method ofoperationof'the instrument.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized whenall of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and thesame structure, but; useful dean improved range finder permitting thegun vices maybe produced embodying less than the whole.

" It will be obvious to those skilled in'the art to which. the inventionappertains, that;

the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The:accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing thepreferred exemplification of the invention. i

My improved range finder is particularly adapted for use in conjunctionwith my Selfcentered, non-sighted, second of time'gundisclosed'inPatentNo. 1,723,623, A11gust 6, 1929, and of whichapplication this is a di-' vision. p, r The range finder 85 is securedto the trunnion of the muzzle of the gun 66 so as to. he disposed}beneath the carriage 39 of the gun andnevertheless to move directly withthe gun; V The range finder is thus positioned beneath the gun and infront of the same and mounted for longitudinal movement by guide means86.

The range finder is sighted on the target and the range'is obtained bybringing the image to a focus. By suitable'calibration of theinstrument, the elevation of the gun obtainable directly from the range.Means are likewise provided to allow for the move ment of the targetwhile the projectile is traveling through the air to strike it.

The range finder includes a casing 87 with in which isslidably fittedatele'scopic chamher or tube 88 which contains various focusing lenses.Guide means 89are provided to insure of absolutely uniform movement ofthe focusing tube. A plurality of racks 90 are mounted on the side ofthefocusing tube to mesh with pinions 91 on shaft92 which is rotated bydrum 93, whereby the focal length of theginstrument can be adjustedf Theimagelis brought'toa focus on'a sheet 94 of translucent unbreakable=material, such,"

for example, as celluloid, which is disposed across theinstrument inperpendicular relation to' the axis'of the instrument, and the movementof the focusing tube'is toward or away from the plate. K

The instrument is accurately calibrated, as at a" dial 95 adjacenttodrum 93, so that when the target is properlyfocused on the plate 94 bymovement of the'drum and corresponding movement of the dial and focus-'ing tube, therange may be directly read upon 7 for the projectile toreach the target can be easily obtained; This time ismarked on the dialopposite to the figures for diflerent distances or ranges. .v s

A rnirror 96 is mounted at the base of the ment of the props causes asimilar movement oft-he mirror, the mirror being retained,

inegagemehtwith the props by brackets 96a.

. Means are provided operative between the V drum 100 and vthe body ofthe instrument :to

look the. drum after adjustment. As a simple illustration ofconventional locking; eans, I showthe thimble 100.as beingi of hollowform, and connectedto shaft 99 by a' spline 101 A locking pin l02engages said body through the reaction of a springolOS which continuallyforcesthe-drum toward the body. A window 10.4 is provided in the line ofsight so that whenthe mirror is moved in clockwise direction away fromthe axis ofthe instrument, a viewmay be obtained through window 104directly through the instrument; A; windowv 105 is likewise providedthrough,

which the operation of the instrumentis obsight- 106, and a plurality oftransverse lines 107 at right angles thereto beginning with,

a zero line at point 108 which is the axial line o f sight, the othertransverse lines be; ing marked 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000. An

image of these, lines and the markings appears onthemirror 96 as shownat 106a,

107a and 108a. x Theelevation of the gun that is' neces-. sary to hit aparticular target isobtained by v means of the linesand markingson thefocusingplate and theiriimages on the mirror. It

is assumed that the range is to bedetermined in secondsof time asstatedphereinbefore.

Bearing inmind-that the mirror is "retained -slways at a fixedpredetermined an with the axis of the instrument, thegun iselevateduntil the image appears on the As a preliminary step, however,to 3515.0, ing the gun inposition for firing, readings are mad .to deermine he e es ary. a11ewfor each. side'of the instrumentwith respecttosaid'axiallplane, the pointers having hubs l12 threaded oncorresponding portions of the-screw. The-pointers include the extend- 7c s ing or indicating members 113. which are instrument to" pivot about'an'axis Q-QQQT? Props 98 are fixed to a shaft 99 to be'iro Qtatabletherewith as'bysmanipulationofa drum 100. Upward ordownward move.

PiVQtally .co'miected'to the shanks of the pointers "at 114. r

I A spring 115 tends to. move ;member 113 in counterclockwisedirection.A sleeve 116 is mounted coaxially withscrew 109 and is longitudinalplaneof the instrument can-be noted. The sleeve is slotted longitudinally at1165 topermit of sliding movement of the pointers therealong, but thesleeve, re

tains the pointer at a fi xed inclination with respect to the focusingplate, the -spring 115.

cooperating tokeepthe pointer in snug contactwiththe focusing plate.This feature is aimere detail ofconvenience, and is intended merelytopermit the end -of the pointer to be adjusted or moved in -a directiontransverse to screw 109 according as the mage is nearer or furtherfromlfsaidscrew'. A second-oftime clock 117 is provided in conjunctionwith which :thepointers, are operated. The instrument is in eve ry caseso manipulated as tocause the image to move across the mirrorhorizontally. If the gunis being aimed upon a flying machine,forinstance, the flying machine willsooner or later move in suchrelation to the gun that-the image produoedwfll move horizontally on.the mirror. It ispreferable totake observationsvand make adjustmentsatsuchtime, The pointers or tangent slghts will be understoodtocastshadows on the mirror which follow the image as the pointers aremoved in accordance with. the movem'entofthe image, The movement of thepointers from the central longitudinal plane of the instrument isexactly equal.

Let us assume thatgthe axis of'the gun is represented by line A X,Twbeing a target, L a lens in the range finder, and I an image of thetarget. The range of the target'has been obtained as describedhereinbefore, and

likewise the time corresponding to therange.

The targetitravels :to theiposition at T1, and

the image-movescorrespondingly toIl. A

period of time corresponding to the range of the target is allowed :toelapse while the imagemoves from X,to I-1,,the target movingcorrespondingly froIn'A to T1, and the defi etienisinoted- Theismwtraversed pitch at the other side thereof. The s menses so that theimage moves back to the opposite side of the line A X, i. e., it willappear again at I, or at such other point as corresponds with thepointer at this side of the instrument. If the gun is now fired, thetarget will travel from T to A; in the time that the pro jectile movesfrom the gun to A. The gun will, of'course, have been properly elevatedas described hereinbefore. The second of time clock 117 is usedconjunctively to aid in the precise firing of the gun.

I claim:

1. In a range finder, the combination with focusing means for findingthe range of a target, said focusing means including a translucentnon-breakable V focusing plate, of means including a reflector toreceive an image of the target, from the focusing plate marks beingprovided on said focusing plate readingin targetranges, the range finderbeing secured to a gun at a pivot intermediate the ends of the barrel ofthe gun .to pivot therewith, wherebythe elevation of the gun canbeobtained by elevating the same and the range finder until the image ofthe target registers with the mark corresponding to the range of thetarget.

2. In a range finder adapted for use with a gun, the combination withfocusing means for finding therange of a target, of an unbreakablefocusing plate to receive an image of the target, marks on the plate andmeans coacting therewith to indicate. the range in units of time, apluralityof tangent sight pointers, a screw co-operating with thepointers to move the same simultaneously and 7 equally from a centrallongitudinal plane Y of the lnstrument, the deflection of the imagebeing measured from the said plane for a period'of timeof travel of thetarget corresponding to the time necessary for a projectile to reach thetarget, the range finder being adapted to be secured to the gun at thepivot thereof whereby the gun and range finder may be traversed as aunit until the image is on the opposite side of said plane gndaat theother pointer, the gun being then re is 3. In a range finder adapted tobe mounted for movement with a gun at the pivot thereof, 7

the combination of a celluloid plate adapted I to receive an image of atarget, means to focus the image, and markings vassociated with saidmeans and calibratedin target ranges seconds of time, whereby theelevation of the gun may be obtained by elevating the gun andrangefinder until the image is associated with a mark corresponding to therange of the image on the plate, a plurality'of tangent sight-pointers,and: means co-operating with the pointers to move the same simultaneouslyand equally from the central longitudinal plane "ofthe instrument,calibrated means reading in secondsof time and coacting with thefocusin'g means, a stop clock co-ordinated which consists in. focusingan image thereof and directly finding 1n one operation the b11116necessary for a projectile to strike the target according to the muzzlevelocity of" the gun, then obtaining a deflection after allowing thetargetto travel for said period of time, then traversing said gunforward of the target u'ntilthe same deflection is obtained and thetarget is in such position relative to the gun thatthe projectile willstrike the target aftgr traveling for a period of time as aforesal 6;Ina range finder adapted to be mounted on the pivot of a gun formovement therewith, the combination of means to focus and receive animage of a target, tangent sight pointers, and means to move thepointers simultaneously with respect to a fixed plane, the pointerbeingassociated with the image receiving means in such manner that themovement of the image for a predetermined length oftime can be measured.

7 The combination as in claim 6 wherein a focusing plate of translucentcelluloid material is provided along-which the pointers are movable, amirror being likewise provided to receive the image that has beenfocused on said plate, the shadow of the pointer being adapted to followthe image in the mirror thus indicating coincidence between one of thepointers and the image on'the focusing late.

p 8.- In a range finder as set forth in claim 3, in which other meansare provided whereby the deflection of the image may be measured for aperiod of time of travel of the target corresponding to the timenecessary for a projectile to reach the target, the range finder beingadapted tobe traversed with the gun until the image is set at apredetermined point to cause the projectile to strike the target. i

9. In a range finder adapted to be mounted for movement with a gun, thecombination of focusing means, a translucent celluloid plate to receivean image of a target, tangent sight pointers, and vmeans: :.'tozmoveiith'e simu-lt aneouslyk rand iequ ally :11; with ulespeptieto afixed central plane, rtherpointersi sheing associated with the imagereceiving such manner that the movement iof the' image for apredetermined length of; time- -can 'vbe measured, vthe pointersrbeingcmovable along f the said plate,"a mirror being likewisezprbvidedto receive the image that has -'-.=been focused on said plate; theshadow-wot the pointer being adapted torfollowtthe'si-mageein the mirrorthus indicating.-:-coincidenee flee? tween the pointer and the imageonthe teens ing plate, there being .markingson the-focusing platecorresponding tto'themang'esiOfjithe target, the range finder andagun-beingwlevated until the image .eoincides-withaiiiioper range mark,saidpointers heingzadjaustablet in a direction transversetoits-:paithrofrmoyement lforesa'id to follow the'image.-:rega.rdleSS-t0fthe line of movement :thereofa-along ijthe focusing; plate due toelevation f thei-range finder,-means' calibrated in secondsiofiit-ime'correspondingvto the ranges, andazsecondfof 25 time stop clock, for thePHIPQSGT-SBti'iOIth.

V rlnstestimonywwhereof I'zatfix myrsi' ature.

WILLIAMQ.

